Erdogan's Constitutional Gambit: Power Play or Democratic Renewal?

Turkish President Erdogan initiates a move towards drafting a new constitution, a move critiqued as a potential step to extend his presidential tenure beyond 2028. This constitutional endeavor, requiring alignment with pro-Kurdish factions, follows the contentious imprisonment of a political rival, highlighting ongoing concerns of democratic regression.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a decisive step by commissioning a team of legal experts to begin drafting a new constitution. This move is seen by critics as a strategy to potentially extend his presidency beyond the current term limit of 2028.

Erdogan, at the helm since 2014 and a long-serving prime minister prior, argues for a new constitutional framework to replace the one instituted post-1980 coup, claiming it still bears military remnants despite numerous amendments. However, skeptics view this initiative as a path to circumvent election laws that currently prohibit his re-election without structural changes.

Political tensions have escalated with the recent arrest of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent Erdogan adversary, on corruption charges labelled by many as politically charged. This arrest sparked protests against Erdogan's perceived authoritarian slowdown of democratic principles.

(With inputs from agencies.)